05.09.2008 - Source: Reporters Sans Frontières

Press Council allows English-language daily to resume publishing ("Press Council allows English-language daily to resume publishing") [ID 24993]

Document(s): Open document

03.09.2008 - Source: Reporters Sans Frontières

South Sudan: Press council closes two English language daily newspapers, The Citizen and the Sudan Tribune, indefinitely ("Press council closes two English-language dailies indefinitely") [ID 24992]

Document(s): Open document

28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

2 journalists detained for 12 days after refusing to pay fine ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23360]

"In November, two journalists from al-Sudani newspaper were detained for 12 days after refusing to pay a fine of 10,000 Sudanese pounds (US$5,000).

They had been convicted of defamation for writing an article criticizing the NISS for detaining four other journalists.

They were prisoners of conscience."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Incidents of harassment and arrest of journalists and restrictions on media in 2007 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23057]

"Government security forces arrested, harassed, and intimidated journalists.

On March 24, security forces reportedly detained and beat a journalist for Sudan Radio Service after the journalist attempted to report on a security force attack on SLM/Minawi headquarters in Omdurman that killed 10 SLM representatives. Security forces released the journalist after five days but did not return his equipment.

On March 25, the Ministry of the Interior served BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher with an expulsion order citing the journalist's reporting on Darfur. Fisher departed Sudan on April 13.

On June 20, police arrested a political reporter for the independent daily newspaper Al Rai Al Shaab after he wrote an article about protests at the Kajbar Dam. He was released after two months in detention.

Security forces arrested and detained four other journalists in June for attempting to report on the protests at the Kajbar Dam. The journalists were released after one week.

During the year the government imposed a number of public information bans on reporting on certain sensitive subjects.

In February a court ordered a ban on all independent reporting on Mohamed Taha Mohamed Ahmed, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Al-Wafaq who was found beheaded in 2006.

Newspapers that violated these orders were routinely shut down for periods of several days, or had their editions confiscated by national security officials.

On February 1, authorities closed the independent Arabic daily newspaper Al-Sudani for publishing information on the Mohamed Taha case. The Ministry of Justice issued a ban against reporting on the case of Mohamed Taha in September 2006. Al-Sudani resumed operations several days later.

In March the minister of justice instructed all newspaper editors to cease publishing news on the prosecutions of crimes committed in Darfur.

In May the minister of justice filed a defamation suit against Al-Sudani following the publication of an editorial calling for his resignation in relation to a money-laundering case under investigation. An editor and one reporter for Al-Sudani were arrested and held for several days before being released.

On May 22, the National Press Council banned newspapers from publishing information on Darfur rebel groups' activities and interviews with rebel political leaders and field commanders; however, the ban was not enforced.

On August 21, authorities confiscated thousands of copies of the daily newspaper Al Rai Al-Shaab after the newspaper reported on a recently foiled plot to attack certain embassies in Khartoum; the government had banned the press from reporting on the plot.

Authorities in Southern Sudan generally respected press freedom, although there were some reports of harassment of journalists.

Police in Southern Sudan detained the editor in chief of the Citizen newspaper for one day for reporting on a financial scandal."

Document(s): Open document

20.02.2008 - Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

CPJ is concerned by the overnight detention of two Sudanese editors over articles they published on Sudan’s police force ("Two Sudanese editors held overnight; others summoned") [ID 22358]

Document(s): Open document

21.12.2007 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Khartoum: Death threats against 5 journalists for their public stances on key political issues ("Death threats against five journalists in Khartoum") [ID 21940]

Document(s): Open document

07.12.2007 - Source: Reporters Sans Frontières

Death threats against Reporters Without Borders correspondent and four other journalists ("Death threats against Reporters Without Borders correspondent and four other journalists") [ID 21785]

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2007 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Several journalists and human rights activists were detained for a short time and interrogated by the National Security Service (NSS) in Khartoum North in November 2007 ("Ongoing harassment against human rights defenders and journalists in Khartoum [SDN 003 / 1107 / OBS 148]") [ID 21762]

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2007 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

The journalist and chairman of the independent newspaper Al-Sudani Mahjoub Ourwa and the editor of this newspaper Noureddine Madani were sentenced and detained after they denounced the arrests of four other journalists ("Sentencing and subsequent detention of Messrs. Mahjoub Ourwa and Noureddine Madani [SDN 002 / 1107 / OBS 147]") [ID 21763]

Document(s): Open document

20.11.2007 - Source: Reporters Sans Frontières

Two newspaper editors detained for refusing to pay a fine ("Two newspaper editors detained for refusing pay fine") [ID 21764]

Document(s): Open document

19.06.2007 - Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Journalists detained for nearly a week ("Journalists detained for nearly a week") [ID 21945]

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Correspondent for Al-Ra'y al-'Amm newspaper detained incommunicado for 2 weeks ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20078]

"Abdallah Abu Obeida, a correspondent for Al-Ra'y al-'Amm newspaper, was detained incommunicado for two weeks in October. He was questioned about Darfur before being released without charge."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Several foreign journalists and photographers detained and prosecuted ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19281]

"International media were not allowed to operate freely. For example, some foreign journalists were allowed access to Darfur, while others were denied visas. Several foreign journalists and photographers were detained for photographing slums or taking pictures without a license; most were quickly released, but some were prosecuted for more serious crimes. On August 14, the special court for North Darfur convicted foreign journalist and human rights activist Tomo Kriznar of espionage, after he entered the country without a visa from Chad. The court sentenced Kriznar to two years in prison, but the president pardoned him and ordered him deported on September 2. On August 26, American journalist Paul Salopek and his two foreign assistants were charged in El Fasher, North Darfur, with espionage, publishing false news, and obtaining official documents after entering the country without a visa from Chad. The special court for North Darfur dropped the charges on September 9 and ordered the three men to leave the country immediately. On September 7, NISS officers attacked three foreign journalists outside their hotel in Khartoum; the journalists had observed an antigovernment protest earlier in the day. One of the journalists was seriously injured and had to leave the country to seek medical treatment."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Government security forces continued to harass, intimidate and arrest local journalists in 2006 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19282]

"Government security forces also harassed, intimidated, and arrested local journalists on numerous occasions.

On April 13, the editor of the Khartoum Monitor was arrested after printing an article accusing police of beating several University of Juba students during a protest (see section 1.c.). He was released the following day.

On June 17, the NISS summoned the editor of Al Sudani and questioned him about an article the newspaper had printed on the alleged torture of university students by National Security forces. The editor was summoned again two days later and formally charged with publishing false statements and breaching his duties as editor. He was later released on bail.

On November 22, a reporter for the independent daily newspaper Al-Sahafa was detained and held incommunicado for 12 days without charge. "

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

South: Various state governments interfered with press activities ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19283]

"There were no reports that the Government of Southern Sudan censored the press during the year; however, there were credible reports that various state governments in the South interfered with the press. The Government of the State of Bahr al-Jebel shut down the radio station, Liberty FM, in July following a remark critical of the government by a caller during a call-in show. State government officials claimed the station was shut down for operating without a license; however, the station was fully licensed by the Government of Southern Sudan. In November, also in Bahr al Jebel State, a group of armed soldiers stormed the offices of the Juba Post and held all the employees for several hours, claiming they were unhappy with an article that included an unflattering depiction of the state's governor. The situation was resolved when the soldiers discovered the article never appeared in the Juba Post but had actually appeared in the Southern Eye, an unrelated newspaper published in Nairobi."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

One journalist killed in 2006 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19284]

"One journalist was killed during the year. On September 5, masked assailants kidnapped the editor-in-chief of Al Wafaq, Mohamed Taha Mohamed Ahmed, from his home in Khartoum; his decapitated body was found the following day south of the city. The editor had faced criminal charges in May 2005 after republishing an article regarding the origins of the Prophet Mohamed, and a court had ordered Al Wafaq to suspend publication for three months. Following the editor's killing, a Khartoum court barred newspapers from reporting on the criminal investigation. On September 25, police arrested 16 suspects in connection with the murder, but did not announce any names to the public.

According to Reporters without Borders, in September the government ordered seven Arabic language newspapers not to print certain articles "out of protection for journalists," although many of the censored articles had no connection with the investigation of the editor's killing. Authorities confiscated all copies of the September 9 edition of Al Sudani immediately after it was printed, stating that its reporting could "hurt the investigation." Police also detained a journalist from Al Rai Al Aam for 16 days, reportedly in connection with the investigation. "

Document(s): Open document

14.02.2007 - Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Two editors accused of sedition ("In Sudan, two editors accused of sedition") [ID 21946]

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Shiite newspaper editor charged with defaming religion over article regarding origins of Prophet Muhammad ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17561]

"On May 4, 2005, Mohamed Taha, the Shi'a editor-in-chief of Al Wafaq daily newspaper, faced criminal charges of defaming religion when he republished an article with contentious assertions regarding the origins of the Prophet Muhammad. He was detained for a few hours, returned to his job, and was later acquitted. Al Wafaq, which was shut down for a few days, resumed operations."

Document(s): Open document

06.09.2006 - Source: BBC News

Editor of the daily al-Wifaq newspaper, Mohammed Taha, beheaded ("Kidnapped Sudan editor beheaded") [ID 15801]

Document(s): Open document

05.09.2006 - Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Editor-in-chief Mohammed Taha Mohammed Ahmed killed by masked gunmen ("Editor kidnapped and beheaded") [ID 15798]

"Masked gunmen bundled Mohammed Taha Mohammed Ahmed, editor-in-chief of the private daily Al-Wifaq, into a car outside his home in east Khartoum late Tuesday. Police found his severed head next to his body today in the south of the capital. His hands and feet were bound, according to a CPJ source and news reports."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2006 - Source: Amnesty International

Two newspapers suspended in 2005 ("Annual Report 2006") [ID 18349]

"In June the Khartoum Monitor was notified that its licence had been revoked by the High Court in 2003. The newspaper had successfully appealed against the closure at the time, but the National Security Services had appealed to have that decision overturned on four separate occasions without informing the newspaper.On 9 May the authorities briefly suspended al-Wifaq daily newspaper and fined the publication 8 million Sudanese pounds (about US$3,500) for publishing articles deemed blasphemous. The capital charge of blasphemy was brought against the editor, Mohamed Taha Mohamed Ahmed, but withdrawn soon afterwards."

Document(s): Open document